889 Snowshoe - Hat Knitting Pattern for Men and Women in Valley Yarns Deerfield

889 Snowshoe Hat Knitting Pattern

Project Overview

The 889 Snowshoe is a unisex beanie designed by Julie Turjoman that celebrates winter inspiration through its distinctive Icelandic colorwork pattern. This cozy hat features a stranded colorwork motif wrapping the crown that resembles snowshoe tracks from a winter hike. The design is worked seamlessly in the round from the bottom up, making it an ideal project for knitters looking to expand their colorwork skills.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a fitted beanie hat suitable for both men and women. The hat features a textured brim and a crown decorated with an Icelandic colorwork pattern. Available in three sizes—Small, Medium, and Large—the finished circumference above the brim ranges from 18¼ inches to 23¼ inches, accommodating head circumferences from 18 to 23 inches. The pattern shown features a Size Medium (20 inches).

Techniques Used

• Seamless construction: The hat is worked entirely in the round using circular needles and double-pointed needles, eliminating the need for seaming
• Bottom-up construction: Knitting begins at the brim and progresses upward to the crown
• Stranded colorwork: An Icelandic colorwork pattern is worked across the rise of the hat, requiring the knitter to carry multiple yarn colors simultaneously while maintaining even tension
• Worked in the round: The entire project is completed using circular knitting methods, creating a seamless, tubular fabric

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The 889 Snowshoe employs fundamental knitting stitches executed with colorwork complexity. The base fabric is worked in Stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic knit fabric ideal for showcasing the stranded colorwork pattern. The Icelandic colorwork pattern wrapping the crown adds visual interest and texture variation to the hat's upper sections. Decreases such as k2tog (knit two together) are incorporated to shape the crown and achieve the proper fit.

Yarn and Materials

The 889 Snowshoe is designed specifically for Valley Yarns Deerfield, a luxurious blend of 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk. This yarn combination provides exceptional softness, breathability, and a subtle sheen. The pattern requires three colors of Valley Yarns Deerfield:

• Main Color (MC): 2 skeins in Natural (109 yards per skein)
• Contrast Color 1 (CC1): 1 skein in Black (109 yards per skein)
• Contrast Color 2 (CC2): 1 skein in Periwinkle (109 yards per skein)

The yarn weight is DK (light worsted), which creates a fabric with excellent drape and warmth without excessive bulk. Additional materials include size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles measuring 16 inches long, size 5 (3.75 mm) double-pointed needles, stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and shaping, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern is worked at a gauge of 24 stitches and 28 rounds over 4 inches (10 centimeters) in Stockinette stitch using size 5 (3.75 mm) needles. Achieving proper gauge is essential for creating a hat that fits correctly. The three available sizes accommodate various head circumferences, with finished measurements ranging from 18¼ inches for Small to 23¼ inches for Large.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as Advanced Beginner, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic techniques and are ready to tackle stranded colorwork. The seamless, in-the-round construction combined with the Icelandic colorwork pattern requires attention to tension and color management, but the straightforward stitch patterns and clear shaping make it achievable for experienced beginners.